Autistic Brothers Reunited
Monday, November 9th, 2009
We often speak about Autism in children since this is often when the disorder is diagnosed. Parents are much more aware of the common symptoms of Autism including short attention spans, slow speech, specific repetitive behaviors and social interaction difficulties. Parents are quick to ask their doctors as soon as these things become apparent. With the growing rate of diagnosed Autism cases, this also leads one to wonder- what happens to autistic children as they grow older? What happens when they aren’t children anymore?
Of course this question doesn’t have one answer, and needs to be researched on a case-by-case basis. Dylan and Remly Clark are two brothers, 18 and 19 respectively, who have autism. Their mother, Judy Clark is the founder of Autism Support And Programs (ASAP) which is an organization that offers support and information for people with autism.
About 8 years ago, Judy made the difficult decision to put her son Remly into a facility. His autism was particularly difficult to manage and handle, so she had no other choice than to get Remly the care that he needed and deserved. Despite her confident decision, Judy was determined to have her two sons together again somday.
As the ASPS grew, they added more staff members and were able to enhance areas of the organization to promote growth. One of the biggest additions — a group home specifically catered to those who have autism. Everything from the color scheme to the available activities were created and targeted to benefit the residents.
Rainbow Farms is a 5 acre farm and is located in Pender County, North Carolina. Each resident’s case is explored individually and a daily schedule is devised based on their specific needs. The residents have a chance to interact with not only each other, but with farm animals and horses. They staff at Rainbow Farms base their work on several principles including Individualization, Behavioral Support, Collaboration and Positive Supports.
Just opened this year, Rainbow Farms now houses both Dylan and Remly Clark. They are learning to interact with others and enjoying their time spent together. Despite their autism, Judy says she wouldn’t trade her sons or their conditions for the world. The Autism is just a part of her boys’ charm.
